- Why China's new air zone incensed Japan, U.S.
CNN November 27, 2013
(CNN) -- Tensions magnified among the world's top three economies over China's controversial new air defense zone.
The issues range from disagreements on air space as well as disputed islands between China and Japan.
On Saturday, China declared the creation of an air defense identification zone in the East China Sea, eliciting strong criticisms from the United States and its close ally, Japan.
Both countries refuse to recognize China's newly created zone.
What is China's "Air Defense Identification Zone"?
China released a map and coordinates that identify its air defense zone on November 23.
It declared that aircraft in the area must report their flight plans to China, maintain two-way radio and clearly mark their nationalities on the aircraft. The new rules went into effect 10 a.m. that day, Xinhua reported.
Japan, China in dispute over claimed space U.S. defies China with B-52 flight Disputed islands buzzing with activity
This space included a swath of the East China Sea, including a disputed island chain known as Daioyu in China and Senkaku in Japan.
China vowed to "adopt defensive emergency measures to respond to aircraft that do not cooperate in the identification or refuse to follow the instructions."
- 3-decade gridlock broken: The nuclear deal with Iran in Geneva
CNN November 24, 2013
Diplomacy leads to Iran nuclear deal
Geneva, Switzerland (CNN) -- The diplomatic gridlock between Iran and the West seemed immovable for decades. But on Sunday, diplomats made history when Iran and six world powers came together on an agreement over Iran's nuclear program.
The deal dials back Iran's ability to work toward a nuclear weapon and at the same time loosens the choke hold of international sanctions on Iran's economy.
The two sides now have six months to find out how historic the breakthrough really is. That's the duration of the preliminary agreement hammered out in Geneva, Switzerland, by Iran and the P5+1 -- the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany.
"There are lots of things, regrettably, that we still have to work on. Our hope is that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif want to build this different relationship, want to show in clear ways as we go forward that the program is peaceful," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told CNN's State of the Union.
Iran has stumbled from one economic crisis to the next under the sanctions, and unemployment currently runs over 24%.
The breathing room is intended to buy Iran and the negotiating powers time to arrive at a more comprehensive agreement. But it represents an opportunity, not a guarantee.
"It's a little too early to break open champagne bottles and put on the party hats on this one," said Middle East diplomatic expert Aaron David Miller. "Its success hinges on whether or not it leads to a bigger agreement to "put Iran's nuclear weapons program to rest."
That the diplomats came to any accord at all represents a momentous budge in a nearly 35-year deadlock marked by distrust, suspicion and open animosity between the United States and Iran, which broke off diplomatic relations after Iran's revolution in 1979.
Iran happy with 'first step'
Obama reacts to Iran nuclear deal Iran deal 'important step forward'
It was the first such agreement in 10 years of attempts to negotiate over Iran's nuclear program.
"What happened over the last several weeks is by any standard extraordinary," Miller said.
Kerry told CNN that it will be vital to verify Iran's compliance with the deal.
- 10 questions: What's behind the protests in Thailand?
CNN November 27, 2013

Thai protesters march to oust government
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- At the heart of the unrest is the polarizing figure of Thaksin Shinawatra
- His sister is now prime minister, and critics say she's his puppet
- A recent move to grant amnesty to Thaksin and others caused anger
- Protesters say they won't stop until "Thaksin's regime is wiped out"
(CNN) -- In order to understand the turbulent world of Thai politics, you have to start with one name: Thaksin Shinawatra.
The former prime minister has dominated the country's political scene for more than a decade despite going into exile after his ouster in a 2006 coup.
Back in 2010, deadly clashes took place between security forces and Thaksin supporters who had occupied central Bangkok. They were demanding his return.
Now, his sister is in power and she recently tried to pass an amnesty law that could have allowed his return. The attempt failed, but it provided fuel for the current protests shaking the capital.
Here's a quick primer to make sense of it all.
Thai
1. Who is Thaksin?
He's a deeply polarizing figure -- a billionaire telecommunications mogul who built his political power on policies popular with Thailand's rural villagers. His success ruffled a lot of feathers among the country's established elites, and critics accused him of corruption and autocratic rule. He was prime minister between 2001 and 2006, when the military deposed him in a bloodless coup.
2. What happened in 2010?
Thaksin's ouster spurred the protest movement that developed over the years into the widespread "red shirt" demonstrations that occupied upscale parts of Bangkok in 2010. By that stage, the movement had broadened to represent other issues, including resentment at the military's involvement in politics and economic inequality. The crackdown by security forces on the red shirts resulted in clashes that left around 90 people dead. It has been described as the worst civil violence in Thailand's history, and the country remains severely scarred by the experience.
4. German coalition: Concessions but Merkel will get her way
BBC News 27 November 2013
Germany's coalition leaders Sigmar Gabriel, Angela Merkel and Horst Seehofer
The "six eyes" of Sigmar Gabriel, Angela Merkel and Horst Seehofer
German parties reach coalition deal
Germany's Angela Merkel has sewn up a coalition with the Social Democrats and a third term in power, but how much has she had to give away?
It was a "Six-Eye Negotiation" - in German, an "Unter Sechs Augen Gespraech". Three leaders, and so three pairs of eyes, sat down together in the small hours in a private room and haggled amongst themselves, eyeball to eyeball.
In the 185-page agreement which resulted, the Social Democrats (SPD) came away with a minimum wage of 8.50 euros (£7.10) an hour, uniformly applied across the country. The counter-argument had been that insisting on the minimum wage in the old East Germany would dent the region's ability to attract work.
The SPD's chief negotiator Sigmar Gabriel also got a lowering of the retirement age and some extra public spending. That may be welcomed by those outside Germany, who have argued that the country is "beggaring its neighbours" by not increasing German spending to match the country's amazing excess of exports over imports.
The SPD also secured the introduction of a minimum percentage of women on German company boards.
For her part, Chancellor Merkel got an acceptance from the SPD that its election demand of higher taxes on the rich would not happen. She also emphasised that the new government would continue to balance its budgets - there will be no move away from the belief that spending is tied to revenue.
Road-toll diversion
The third pair of eyes in the room belonged to Horst Seehofer, the leader of the Bavarian Christian Social Union, sister party to Mrs Merkel's CDU. He got the inclusion of his pet policy: foreign drivers should pay more than Germans to use German roads.
A lot of people involved in the broader negotiations had poured cold water on this, saying it was unworkable and illegal under European law. One SPD leader said the private-car road-toll would be introduced on the day that Christmas and Easter coincided.
But it would be unwise to discount Mr Seehofer. He has clout. Apart from anything else, Mrs Merkel needs CSU votes just as much as SPD ones. If the SPD can hold out for its measures, so can the CSU.
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